How to Invoice as a Security Guard
A step-by-step guide to security invoices: shifts and hours, separate rates, the site details your client needs, attached logs, and a steady billing cycle.
In the US, the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook (page last modified August 27, 2026) says "Security guards and gambling surveillance officers usually work in shifts of about 8 hours, with rotating schedules." It also says: "Because many buildings and casinos are open 24 hours a day, security guards and officers often must work around the clock." So a security invoice names the shifts covered, the site and the rate for each block of hours.
This guide is for guards and security firms billing a client for coverage. It goes in order: the rates, the hours, the invoice lines, the site details, the logs and the billing cycle. Your contract sets the rates for nights, holidays and overtime. For sales tax on security services, check your state's rules and ask an accountant.
Worked example (sample figures): a firm puts two guards on 8-hour night shifts at a warehouse for 7 nights, 2 × 8 × 7 = 112 hours. One night is a holiday, so its 16 hours are billed at the contract's holiday rate of $45.00 an hour: 16 × $45.00 = $720.00. The other 96 hours are at $30.00: 96 × $30.00 = $2,880.00. The week's invoice is $2,880.00 + $720.00 = $3,600.00.
Step-by-step invoicing guide
- 1
Set the rates in the contract first
Write down the regular hourly rate, the rates for holidays, overtime or short-notice shifts, and any minimum hours per shift before the first shift. Send them as an estimate for the client's sign-off. Billed's features page says "Yes your clients can approve or reject your estimates online."
- 2
Track the hours of each shift
Billed's time tracking page says "Create an hourly rate project, set its hourly rate, and Billed tracks the charge for each task as you log it." For a team of guards, it says you can "Invite teammates, accountants and contractors to your Billed account and grant them permissions, so the whole team tracks its time in one place."
- 3
Invoice the tracked shifts
Billed's help center says "Billed allows you to generate invoices against billable time log entries." It adds: "All the completed tasks will be added in the invoice as a line item if you select the 'Task Based' option."
- 4
Put each rate on its own line
Regular, holiday and overtime hours go on separate lines, each with its hours and rate, which lets the client compare every rate with your contract. In Billed's help article on creating an invoice, the step is to add a line item and "fill this section to charge against new items and services."
- 5
Add the site, the dates and the PO number
Name the site address, the dates covered and the client's purchase order number if they gave you one. For notes such as these, Billed's help article on creating an invoice says of its Additional Notes section: "You can also add any terms and conditions in this section."
- 6
Attach the shift logs
Billed's invoice software page says you can "Add files to your invoices and estimates." Billed's time tracking page says you can "Create timesheets from the time you and your team have tracked to see how the team is spending its time, and export them when a client or your accountant needs a copy."
- 7
Bill each period on the same date and follow up
For a fixed monthly amount, Billed's invoice software page says "For clients you bill on a schedule, set up a recurring profile once." It also says "Set a due date on each invoice so your client knows when to pay." Billed's help center says "You can set a schedule of payment reminders before and after the invoice's due date."
Tips for security guard invoicing
- Agree on the billing period in the contract, such as weekly or monthly, and send each invoice on a fixed date.
- Keep each shift's start and end times and the guard's name in the log you attach.
- Bill event security on its own invoice, apart from ongoing site coverage.
- For a contract with the same amount each month, Billed's invoice software page says you can "Choose the billing frequency (daily, weekly, monthly or yearly) and how many invoices to send, or keep sending until you stop."
- If your contract lets you bill for equipment you supply to a site, such as radios or a patrol vehicle, give it its own line.
Common invoicing mistakes to avoid
- Billing every hour at one rate when the contract sets a separate holiday rate
- Leaving off the site address or the PO number the client's accounts team needs
- Sending hours without the shift logs that back them
- Invoicing on a different day each period
- Adding extra shifts the client never asked for in writing
How this works in Billed
Hourly Rate Projects
Billed's time tracking page says "Create an hourly rate project, set its hourly rate, and Billed tracks the charge for each task as you log it."
Invoices From Time Logs
Billed's help center says "Billed allows you to generate invoices against billable time log entries." It adds: "All the completed tasks will be added in the invoice as a line item if you select the 'Task Based' option."
Timesheets You Can Export
Billed's time tracking page says you can "Create timesheets from the time you and your team have tracked to see how the team is spending its time, and export them when a client or your accountant needs a copy."
Recurring Invoices for Fixed Contracts
Billed's invoice software page says "For clients you bill on a schedule, set up a recurring profile once." It adds that you can "Choose the billing frequency (daily, weekly, monthly or yearly) and how many invoices to send, or keep sending until you stop."
Logs Attached to Invoices
Billed's invoice software page says you can "Add files to your invoices and estimates."
Frequently asked questions
Start Invoicing With Billed
Set up your account and send your first invoice with Billed.
At a glance
| Part of the job | How it goes on the invoice |
|---|---|
| Regular shifts | Hours × the contract rate |
| Holiday or overtime hours | Their own line, at the contract's rate |
| Site and dates | The site address and the period covered, in the invoice details or notes |
| Proof of coverage | The shift logs, attached to the invoice |
When this isn't for you
This guide covers billing clients for security coverage. If a security company employs you, it invoices the client and pays you through payroll.